ProvidesPackage and usepackage

Question

I have seen papers containing a command \ProvidesPackage. Is it different than \usepackage?

What is the difference between \ProvidesPackage and \usepackage?

\ProvidesPackage defines a package, which you can use with \usepackage. Or is it \RequirePackage that you remember? — Johannes_B, Dec 16 '13 at 08:35
Are you meaning \RequirePackage, rather than \ProvidesPackage? — egreg, Dec 16 '13 at 08:37
http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/77/how-to-make-a-standard-preamble-into-a-package — Vaibhav, Dec 16 '13 at 08:42
Providing an air ambulance service is not the same as using one.... — cfr, Jun 14 '15 at 00:16

score 9 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 14 '15 at 00:15

The most commonly known command to use extra functionality is called \usepackage{<name>}, which if we say out loud reveals what it does: It uses a package called <name>. it is important to know that \usepackage can only be used in the document preamble, that is the part between \documentclass and the beginning of typesetting at \begin{document}.

Sometimes we want to do stuff before loading any class, for example by setting different options. The command here is called \RequirePackage{<name>}. Actually it does just the same as \usepackage, or rather vice versa.

When loading a package, LaTeX checks some details, for example the date. The only way this is possible, is a short introduction that the package gives to LaTeX. "I, the file, provide package <name> dating of 2015/06/13"

\ProvidesPackage{<name>}[2015/06/13 package <name>]

ProvidesPackage and usepackage

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